Short Fiction Story
The Dangers of Defending the Constitution Against All Enemies
John pledged to serve the country and not a man or a party
Not a member? Join and earn money writing on 👉 Medium, or read this story for free here 👈
He kissed his wife and grabbed the briefcase before walking to the door. It was a long night preparing his speech for today’s session and remembering how the Republican National Committee criticized Representatives Kinzinger and Cheney for participating in the House January 6 committee.
Blaming them for persecuting ordinary citizens engaged in “legitimate political discourse.” — RNC
John said: “Political discourse, my ass! I was there when the riot started, and the Capitol police escorted us out of the chamber while others ran to save themselves from the riot they railed hours before!”
He remembered watching on TV what the Associated Press reported as “a line of men wearing helmets and body armor walking up the marble stairs in a single-file line. Each man was holding the jacket collar of the one ahead, in what is known as Ranger File Formation.”
A procedure for stacking up to breach a building featured in movies and used by US soldiers or Marines serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Considered one of the most secure buildings in America, the Capitol was breached by a mob wearing red hats and chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” while a red noose stood on the West side of the Capitol.
Today it was John’s opportunity to prove to himself and the entire world that he honored the pledge to support and defend the United States Constitution against all foreign and domestic enemies he made on his first day in Congress.
He had documents, texts, and audio files proving the attempted coup to re-install the defeated President and kill the vice president and the house speaker.
It was enough information to send the ex-President, half of his cabinet, lawyers, and close allies in Congress and the Senate to prison for many years. Not even blank pardons, attorney-client privileges, or presidential immunity will save them from facing the law.
John decided to hire private security personnel and buy body armor for protection that day in January. Now that the waters seemed calm, he stopped using it and wondered if it was a good idea considering all the hate mail and threat tweets from his constituency and MAGA supporters.
But today, he had to go to the Capitol before the January 6 hearings and show the proof that far-right conspiracy theorists, and white supremacists, breached the government.
In an effort for an insurrection and a coup to put the ex-President in power, to be the “Absolute Leader of the New United States,” and kill whoever stood in their way.
At the advice of his family, John hired a new security team to get him safely to the Capitol.
As he walked towards his car, he noticed a man dressed in a dark suit rapidly approaching. At that moment, John felt like many African-Americans when seeing a police officer or anyone resembling a government agent. Deciding if this person is someone they can trust or want to harm them.
The man tried to help John with the briefcase, but he politely declined. As he got inside the car, he thought, “but are these men here to protect me, or were they sent to hurt me and prevent me from speaking?”
As the door closed, John heard the man say:
“The Mockingbird is in the trap, I repeat; the Rat is in the trap.”
© Copyright Jose Luis Ontanon, 2022
